


Why Do You Do These Things

by biifurcatedCoder



Category: Homestuck
Genre: M/M, Slurs, casual ableism?, vantases being vantases
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-15
Updated: 2016-08-15
Packaged: 2018-08-09 00:14:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7779133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/biifurcatedCoder/pseuds/biifurcatedCoder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Karkat hates how much his gut does flips thinking about his mouthy talkative obnoxious ancestor. The more they encounter one another in the bubbles, the more conflicted and confusing it gets. He's just about ready to throttle Kankri if only out of frustration over this awful mixture of indistinct yet impossibly strong feelings, but all his aggression keeps fizzling out into this nasty urge to just pap him quiet instead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Why Do You Do These Things

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ghostb0y](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostb0y/gifts).



This was becoming far more common than Karkat cared for. Here he was, sitting in a stationary chair – because rolly chairs were too distracting according to Kankri – listening to the older Vantas going on about something Porrim had said. He had been on about this for probably a good 10-15 minutes by now, easy, on just this topic alone. Karkat was struggling to hold back a groan, just barely managing not to plant his face in both hands, elbows propped against his thighs, to better emphasize without words just how uninterested he is in this right now.

 

But he doesn’t. A snippy little retort escapes him here and there, something about the haughty way Kankri talks as if he is above any of the mistakes anyone else makes driving Karkat’s stomach into these irritated knots. What a hypocrite, pointing out everyone else’s little mistakes but oh no, the second you call him out on anything he himself does wrong, he gets all defensive and offended, that pitch raises, he does this stupid thing with his lip and half-closes his eyes like he’s mid-seizure and just makes the most ridiculous face, babbling all huffy about how dare you this and I would never that.

 

Speaking of which. There he goes again, catching Karkat spacing out, and he is pointing it out in that way he does, which draws an irritated growl from Karkat.

 

Kankri freezes, the growl catching him off guard, and he squints, sort of inspecting Karkat for a good moment, trying to judge the next move to make, before he does something entirely uncharacteristic. He apologizes for going on so long.

 

Kankri apologizes, and now it is Karkat’s turn to stare suspiciously. Why would he apologize for talking, talking is what he does.

 

“Karkat, I understand y9u are n9t actually interested, s9 I thank y9u f9r listening as l9ng as y9u did, it is n9t fair f9r me t9 keep y9u as captive audience.”

 

Not fair. Captive audience. Thank you for listening? What is he trying to get it. Karkat is still squinting at him as Kankri awkwardly shifts when no other reaction is given. He folds his hands together in his sweater sleeves, kneads at the sleeve ends, and takes the initiative to walk away on his own, leaving Karkat just sitting there watching him.

 

That’s not right, something is entirely off about Kankri today, and he is disgusted with himself for even noticing any small differences in the usual awful Kankri behaviour and this.

 

Another day, another bout of preaching and babbling about some dumb thing that really honestly doesn’t even remotely matter, but Karkat is starting to notice when Kankri pauses more often, doesn’t linger on topics for so long. He asks what is on Karkat’s mind, and that draws the line, the younger cancer troll snapping to attention. He is up on his feet in an instant, pinning Kankri with his forearm to the other’s clavicle.

 

“What is your game, Kankri. Why the fuck are you doing this, why do you suddenly actually seem to care about how I feel about any of this crap, what are you trying to get from me huh?? My sympathy? Pity..?”

 

He hisses out the word like it hurts his tongue, tips of his ears tinted red. Kankri is aghast, wide eyed, trapped, caught in the act, and he babbles again before Karkat is slapping a hand a little harshly against that mouth to shut him up before he can even start.

 

“I don’t want to hear it. You want to know how I feel? You make me feel sick, my stomach does these sour flips. Your voice is so irritating, you’re so fucking haughty with this damn stick up your ass like every little thing is some big issue that needs to be addressed in lengthy long-winded essays, and it drives me up the fucking wall”

Kankri manages after a moment to mumble something soft against Karkat’s stifling hand, which the younger Vantas does move only to hear what Kankri is trying to say.

“Why d9 y9u stay …? If y9u hate me s9 much… if I make y9u feel sick, why d9 y9u listen…? I d9n’t drag y9u here, y9u sit d9wn 9n y9ur 9wn acc9rd… y9u listen… why?”

Karkat hisses, teeth gritted tight, and shoves Kankri back as he goes to leave, leaving Kankri rubbing at his collarbone and face a little tenderly from the rough handling.

 

“Because for some gods-forsaken reason I do care about you, you absolute fucking shit-spewing pitiful sack of crap. I don’t want to upset you by just walking away”

Kankri almost missed it, but when Karkat’s words do meet his ears, he bites his lip, holding back any retort he had wanted to say, for risk of ruining the moment and perhaps driving away the one person who seems to genuinely care, even if only barely. Instead, what comes out is a simple “… thank y9u.”

There’s so much going unsaid, but perhaps that is for the better. Karkat cares, maybe barely, but he does, and for now, that is more than enough for Kankri to just know Karkat cares about how he feels. It is mutual, that’s all he could have asked for.

**Author's Note:**

> ( I am so sorry the text itself is rather short. Have an image to go with it though ; v ; )
> 
> http://sta.sh/01q0q3ahu3mf


End file.
